Insight into the molecular mechanisms of gastric cancer stem cell in drug resistance of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide, and gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) are considered as the major factor for resistance to conventional radio- and chemotherapy. Accumulating evidence in recent years implies that GCSCs regulate the drug resistance in GC through multiple mechanisms, including dormancy, drug trafficking, drug metabolism and targeting, apoptosis, DNA damage, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize current advancements regarding the relationship between GCSCs and drug resistance and evaluate the molecular bases of GCSCs in drug resistance.